Rails 4 - local assets precompile error

Question

In development (rails 4.2 app), we are doing local assets precompile with following command:

$ RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec rake assets:clean assets:precompile RAILS_RELATIVE_URL_ROOT=/tj --trace
** Invoke assets:clean (first_time)
** Invoke assets:environment (first_time)
** Execute assets:environment
** Invoke environment (first_time)
** Execute environment
** Execute assets:clean
** Invoke assets:precompile (first_time)
** Invoke assets:environment
** Execute assets:precompile
rake aborted!
Sass::SyntaxError: Invalid CSS after "...ontent}*/ url(C": expected comma, was ":/Program Files..."
(sass):66
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:1162:in `expected'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/lexer.rb:221:in `expected!'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:463:in `block in arglist'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:460:in `loop'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:460:in `arglist'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:445:in `fn_arglist'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:407:in `funcall'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:387:in `ident'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:246:in `unary_not'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:246:in `unary_div'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:246:in `unary_minus'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:246:in `unary_plus'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `times_div_or_mod'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `plus_or_minus'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `relational'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `eq_or_neq'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `and_expr'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `or_expr'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:364:in `space'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:345:in `interpolation'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:293:in `expr'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:571:in `assert_expr'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:62:in `parse'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:1024:in `sass_script'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:877:in `value!'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:750:in `block in try_declaration'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:1138:in `call'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:1138:in `rethrow'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:763:in `try_declaration'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:693:in `declaration_or_ruleset'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:658:in `block_child'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:650:in `block_contents'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:639:in `block'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:632:in `ruleset'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:657:in `block_child'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:650:in `block_contents'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:117:in `stylesheet'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:42:in `parse'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/engine.rb:393:in `_to_tree'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/engine.rb:268:in `render'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/sass_compressor.rb:48:in `call'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/sass_compressor.rb:28:in `call'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:75:in `call_processor'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:57:in `block in call_processors'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:56:in `reverse_each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:56:in `call_processors'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/loader.rb:86:in `load_asset_by_uri'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/loader.rb:45:in `block in load'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/loader.rb:155:in `fetch_asset_from_dependency_cache'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/loader.rb:38:in `load'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:20:in `block in initialize'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:47:in `yield'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:47:in `load'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/base.rb:63:in `find_asset'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/base.rb:70:in `find_all_linked_assets'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/manifest.rb:138:in `block in find'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/legacy.rb:114:in `block (2 levels) in logical_paths'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:223:in `block in stat_tree'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:207:in `block in stat_directory'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:204:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:204:in `stat_directory'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:222:in `stat_tree'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:226:in `block in stat_tree'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:207:in `block in stat_directory'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:204:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:204:in `stat_directory'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:222:in `stat_tree'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/legacy.rb:105:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/legacy.rb:105:in `block in logical_paths'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/legacy.rb:104:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/legacy.rb:104:in `logical_paths'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/manifest.rb:136:in `find'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/manifest.rb:162:in `compile'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-rails-2.3.1/lib/sprockets/rails/task.rb:70:in `block (3 levels) in define'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/rake/sprocketstask.rb:147:in `with_logger'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-rails-2.3.1/lib/sprockets/rails/task.rb:69:in `block (2 levels) in define'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:240:in `call'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:240:in `block in execute'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:235:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:235:in `execute'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:179:in `block in invoke_with_call_chain'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/2.0.0/monitor.rb:211:in `mon_synchronize'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:172:in `invoke_with_call_chain'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:165:in `invoke'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:150:in `invoke_task'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:106:in `block (2 levels) in top_level'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:106:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:106:in `block in top_level'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:115:in `run_with_threads'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:100:in `top_level'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:78:in `block in run'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:176:in `standard_exception_handling'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:75:in `run'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/bin/rake:33:in `<top (required)>'
c:/Ruby200/bin/rake:23:in `load'
c:/Ruby200/bin/rake:23:in `<main>'
Tasks: TOP => assets:precompile

The error is caused in parser.rb in sass. We don't quite understand what the error means. We tried to deploy on production server and the above assets precompile command ran successfully without any error. Can someone help us to understand the error and/or fix?

Answer 1

The sass processor (located in the sass gem) is throwing a syntax error when encountering the following code:

ontent}*/ url(C:/Program

which code is generated by the asset pipeline when precompiling one of your local gem assets (most likely the jquery-ui-rails gem, file jquery-ui-rails-x.x.x\app\assets\javascripts\jquery-ui\theme.css.erb, the following line):

background: #ffffff/*{bgColorContent}*/ url(<%= image_path("jquery-ui/ui-bg_flat_75_ffffff_40x100.png") %>)

If you need to spot the exact error location you could temporarily comment the following line:

was = was[0...15] + "..." if was.size > 18

in the saas gem, sass-x.x.x\lib\sass\scss\parser.rb file, def self.expected(scanner, expected, line) method.

The image_path helper method is not using the correct path to the asset, due to an incorrect value in the config.relative_url_root (relative_url_root seems to have been deprecated, but still used by image_path). http://apidock.com/rails/ActionView/Helpers/AssetUrlHelper/asset_path

Other gems using the Rails.application.config.action_controller.relative_url_root (like ckeditor_rails) are generating the same issues when precompiling.

The problem is arising when running precompile task (or rails console) with RAILS_RELATIVE_URL_ROOT parameter. Run

RAILS_RELATIVE_URL_ROOT /yourapprelativeurl rails c

and you will see the wrong path with:

p Rails.application.config.action_controller.relative_url_root 

One workaround is to set in application.rb:

config.action_controller.relative_url_root = "" #or "yourapprelativeurl"

This will precompile the gems assets, but it might have other unexpected results also.

Answer 2

After rolling back version of sprockets' from3.2.0to2.12.3, the error disappeared. The error seems to be caused by incompatible version ofsprockets` which does the assets precompile for Rails.

Answer 3

Make sure your css files syntax is correct and properly indented. Or you can uninstall your sass gem from gem file... but this is not a good solution.. try to correct your css syntax..

Answer 4

Check Line 66 of your SASS file.

Sass::SyntaxError: Invalid CSS after "...ontent}*/ url(C": expected comma, was      
":/Program Files..."(sass):66

Looks like an invalid CSS error. I'm guessing you're trying to link to an external file? You'll have to check the paths.

Probably can't use 'C:/Program Files...', instead change it to a relative path in relation to your files i.e

url(../../external_directory/image.png)